USA College of Education is First in State to Become a Model for a New Program Preparing Aspiring School Principals for the 21st Century

New USA Graduate Program-The USA College of Education is the first in the state to complete and meet the state requirements for the new Instructional Leaders for Alabama Schools program. The master’s degree program meets new standards and improves K-12 student achievement. It will use highly qualified school principals to mentor graduate students during the two-year program. This program was developed by a collaborative team of educators from the USA College of Education and educators from public schools in Mobile and Baldwin counties. Back row left are Baldwin County Public School Human Resources Supervisor Dr. Thomas Sisk; Associate Professor of USA Leadership and Teacher Education Dr Agnes Smith; Associate Dean in the USA College of Education Dr. Tom Chilton; Associate Professor of USA Leadership and Teacher Education Dr. Harold Dodge; and Mobile County Public School Superintendent Dr. Roy Nichols. Front row left are Assistant Professor of USA Leadership and Teacher Education Dr. Albert Thomas; Chair of USA Leadership and Teacher Education Dr. David Gray; USA College of Education Graduate Student Tim Hale; Dean of the USA College of Education Dr. Richard L. Hayes and Associate Dean of the USA College of Education Dr. Phillip Feldman.

The College of Education at the University of South Alabama will serve as a model for other universities in the state to meet new standards and improve student achievement.

In 2006, the Alabama Department of Education required that educational leadership programs at all state universities be redesigned by 2008. USA was the first to complete and meet the state requirements for the new Instructional Leaders for Alabama Schools program creating new standards for aspiring school principals.

USA College of Education Dean Dr. Richard L. Hayes, said that through USA’s Instructional Leaders for Alabama Schools program, a collaboration of public schools in Mobile and Baldwin counties has been established.

“Through the visionary collaboration among talented leadership faculty and committed educational partners in Mobile and Baldwin counties, USA has established itself at the forefront of state wide efforts to reform the preparation of instructional leaders for Alabama,” Hayes said.

This field-based residency program will prepare aspiring school principals in a cohort group, where they will study together throughout the two-year master’s degree program. Highly qualified school principals will serve as mentors for the aspiring school leaders.

“We are pleased that USA’s program has been approved and ready to make a difference in training school leaders for the 21st century,” said Dr. Agnes Smith, associate professor of leadership and teacher education in USA’s College of Education. “We have worked diligently together to build a better program.”

I’m excited and honored to be a part of the first class of the Instruction Leaders for Alabama Schools Program,” said Graduate Student Tim Hale.

USA’s College of Education accepted its first 22-member class in January. USA, along with Auburn University and Samford University, will serve as a field test site in the state for the new Instructional Leaders for Alabama Schools program.